ENC Representatives Vote Against Food Stamps Cuts Bill

Both of eastern carolina's representatives voted against a plan approved by the House of Representatives Thursday to reduce spending for food stamps by billions of dollars.

The bill passed 217 to 210 without a single democratic vote. N.C. Democrat G.K. Butterfield voted against it. 15 Republicans also voted against the bill, including 3rd district N.C. republican Walter Jones.

This is the second part of the farm bill that passed in July, and it's provisions include a decrease of $39 billion dollars over 10 years for the food stamp program, now known as SNAP or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Congressman Jones posted this statement on his website about his vote against H.R. 3102, the Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act of 2013.

"As our government continues to spend far more than it can afford, future generations of Americans are saddled with an increasing amount of debt. Particularly concerning is the fact that much of taxpayers’ money is funneled overseas to corrupt foreign governments. However, when spending cuts are proposed on Capitol Hill, all too often international expenditures remain largely untouched while items that directly benefit Americans here at home are slashed."

"With that in mind, this week I voted against H.R. 3102, legislation that would cause nearly three million needy Americans – the vast majority of whom are children, seniors and disabled adults – to lose the food benefits provided through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The bill would also do away with reforms that I have strongly supported in the past, which give states like North Carolina the flexibility to administer SNAP program benefits in the way that works best for North Carolinians. This is the wrong approach at a time when, largely because of this administration’s gross mismanagement of the economy, the unemployment rate in Eastern North Carolina remains elevated over 10 percent, and jobs are hard to find."

"The sad fact is that instead of cutting off a lifeline for millions of Americans, we could save equally as much money by eliminating foreign aid for just one year. In my opinion, that is the approach we ought to be taking."

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